


Retail

by Imperial_Dragon



Series: Phallusy [1]
Category: 2770 ab urbe condita - Fandom, Original Work
Genre: 2770 ab urbe condita, Alternate Universe - Ancient Rome, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Gags, M/M, Master/Slave, Restraints, Retail - Bondage, Sexual Slavery, Slavery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-01
Updated: 2019-02-01
Packaged: 2019-10-20 09:02:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17619455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Imperial_Dragon/pseuds/Imperial_Dragon
Summary: Where slavery meets profit, health and safety





	Retail

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by [2771 ab urbe condita ](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1059413) by [Mossgreen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mossgreen/pseuds/Mossgreen)
> 
> Thanks to [macqy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/maqcy/pseuds/maqcy) for the excellent beta. Much appreciated!

“Welcome to Phallusy! How can I help you?” Gallus the salesman, a distinguished looking man in his forties with slightly grey temples, quickly evaluated the customer: a young man with two slaves. The master looked anxious; the _puella_ was definitely panicky while the _pusio_ merely looked resigned.

The shop slaves carried on with their assigned tasks. Sylvia, the girl he managed for Phallusy, continued to stretch. She had been used for a demonstration of very tight bondage gear and needed to get the kinks out but gave him a smile and a wink; she was good for another demonstration. The boys were refilling the lube racks; ever since the boss had used the lube on VosTubam with Ven the shop had found it hard to keep enough lube in stock.

“We’re here for some restraints for the boy,” the master said, “and a new gag for Hedylium. She doesn’t like the ones I already have.”

“We sell many types of gag,” Gallus said diplomatically, wondering why on earth he cared whether Hedylium liked the gags. “I’ll just measure her and then we can look at some samples.”

But when Gallus reached his hand to check her mouth Hedylium staggered back, already choking. She didn’t just dislike her gags: Hedylium was totally mouth-shy! The poor girl threw herself at her master’s feet, sobbing hysterically, and Gallus jumped back in shock. The master petted and shushed her until she stopped crying.

The boy discretely rolled his eyes. Gallus totally agreed but frowned at him on principle.

He wasn’t a trainer or a therapist, but Gallus could sense a good sale and sometimes he needed to go that extra distance to nail it and, if possible, help a slave.

“I think you had better tell me the whole story,” he said.

Gallus gathered that Hedylium was his first slave, bought when he moved to Rome, and away from his parents.

“They said I shouldn’t buy a slave, not yet. But I bought Hedylium and just loved her straight away. I want to do my best for her.” The master rubbed Hedylium’s temples. “Managing slaves looked easy when my parents did it.”

Indeed, Gallus thought. Further details remained murky, but _someone_ choked Hedylium with _something_. He tried a penis gag to reduce the slave’s gag reflex but only succeeded in triggering Hedylium to vomit while wearing it. At some point someone stuck their tongue in the mouth of a traumatised slave and predictably there was flailing and biting. After the panic attack Hedylium could no longer even tolerate a touch to her lips. The last straw came at a party where, despite clearly saying Hedylium was nil by mouth, a guest tried to use her and was clawed, not badly but it showed that her owner was not in control of the household slave.

“I need to do something,” the master said. “I bought the _pusio_ not long ago to do what she can’t, and he’s a good boy, but Hedylium is only getting worse. I need to be able to gag her sometimes. I mean, it’s expected that I do so, and how can I be in control if I can’t use her mouth?”

Heylium looked away, apparently ashamed.

“Heddie’s restraints don’t fit the boy so I came to buy some new ones for him,” her master added. “I thought I’d see what was available in gags for the girl. She’s a good girl and I just want to do what’s right for her.”

Gallus repressed his sigh. Once again Phallusy needed to come to the rescue of an ignorant owner!

At least the boy was easy to sort out.

“Set the kid up with a starter pack of restraints and toys,” Gallus said quietly to the shop boys. “Level one – we don’t want to encourage too much adventurous sex at this stage. Make sure you include a tube of the Aztlan Chili lube, the mild formulation. We need to start promoting it.”

It was all very well for Varius Metellus to fig Ven with a finger of ginger, but he really ought to be using Phallusy products, not produce the customers could buy from the greengrocers.

Once the boys were settled measuring the _pusio_ and collecting items Gallus turned his attention to Heylium and her distraught owner. 

“I’ve got a suggestion for a short-term solution,” Gallus said. “Sylvia, there’s head harness in your kit; get it out, dear.”

Sylvia dug in to her drawer and found the harness at the bottom. It was not a particularly popular item but Gallus had found it handy for controlling restive slaves who could not keep their head still. He slipped it on to Sylvia’s head. It had already been adjusted to her dimensions so he just had to snap the release clasp closed.

“This is a good base model with plenty of points for attachment and many compatible extras, including gags, of course,” Gallus enthused. “But in this case, I’m recommending you use the harness with a chin band, like this.”

Gallus showed the master how the band worked. “It cups the chin gently but prevents the slave from opening its mouth while not touching the mouth at all. And it’s adjustable so gives control over how much the slave’s mouth can open. OK, it doesn’t have the same aesthetic appeal as a gag but it has the same legal standing if you want to take a slave somewhere gagging is required. And Phallusy has the perfect accessory! This will protect your slave’s mouth at all times.”

A metal half-mask covered the mouth region from over the nose to below the chin. “No one will be using your slave’s mouth without your permission.”

Personally, Gallus thought that the master would be better to get new friends who respected their private property but that would not encourage them to buy Phallusy products.

“And maybe a matching head harness for the boy?”

The _pusio_ snapped his attention over to Gallus, frowning. The girl was very good as she made no complaint over the harness, but the boy was no better than he had to be.

The master looked doubtful but he looked at the boy who finally lowered his gaze. “That’s a good idea. A matching pair, and more control.”

Perhaps the young man was not a stupid as he seemed.

“We have some payment options,” Gallus said. “In any case, this is only a stop gap. I’d advise that you take one of our training programmes.”

It was easy to convince the master that a training package for owner and slaves would be a fun option. The master would learn how to command and care for his slaves while the slaves learned to obey in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

“And there are special programmes for slaves who need some extra training, like Hedylium,” Gallus continued.

“Not retraining,” the master said, shivering. “I couldn’t send Heddie away for that.”

“No, no,” Gallus said firmly. “A little personal attention now and I’m sure that your lovely slave girl will never have to be formally retrained. These programmes are as much for the owners as the slaves and will help you get over this little sensitivity issue with Hedylium.”

The girl in question was looking at Sylvia in her harness with something between fascination and terror.

“Sylvia, show us the quick escape mechanism – Phallusy’s own design and given the SIPAS green tick,” Gallus said. He hoped showing how easily the harness could be removed might calm Hedylium’s fears at least a little.

Sylvia reached up, flicked the clasp and eased the harness off. The owner and their two slaves looked at her in amazement.

“But what’s the point if she can take the restraint off herself?” the master asked, frowning.

Gallus had a bad feeling about his use of restraints.

“Phallusy does not recommend using restraints without self-release except in a security emergency,” Gallus said. “And with well trained slaves there should never be a need to use them. And non-release restraints are just annoying. For one thing, a slave wearing them cannot be left alone, by which I mean someone must be in the same room and able to release them immediately. You haven’t been gagging Hedylium and leaving her on her own, have you?”

The master twitched guiltily. Damn kids, they never thought about what they were doing until something went wrong and it all ended in tears. There was no use in confronting him about it, though, he just needed to learn to do better.

“Are both slaves _vernae_?” The master nodded. “And given at least basic training? So they know not to remove their restraints without a good reason. Sylvia, would you remove a gag I placed on you?”

“Of course, Master,” she said. “If this slave needed to.”

“And why would you need to do that?” Gallus said sternly.

“This slave might vomit,” Sylvia said calmly, relaxing into the rehearsed patter. “Or need to talk to the Vigiles, or perform mouth to mouth resuscitation or -”

“Thank you, Sylvia,” Gallus said. “You are a good girl so would you take off anything I had placed on you just because you wanted to?”

“No, Master,” Sylvia said fervently. “This slave is content with whatever the master places on its body.”

Sylvia was very convincing.

“But Varius Metellus uses restraints without quick release on Ven in his VosTubam videos,” the young master said. He glared at Gallus, as if using the owner of Phallusy against the manager of the shop would negate the actual argument.

“That is true,” Gallus agreed. “However, Varius Metellus is very experienced with bondage and never leaves his slave without supervision. Besides if you take a closer look at the videos you may well find that the gags, for example, have quick releases even though the slave may not be able to access them. If Ven should start to drool excessively or have breathing issues, Varius can whip the gag off very fast. Everyone at Phallusy believes in safety first.”

That seemed to deflate the master. Gallus showed them the Bureau mandated security nonrelease shackles and cuffs, the Phallusy specials and other equipment in the starter pack for the _pusio_ , added what was needed for Hedylium and rang the sale up. Once he included the fees for the training session it came to a substantial sum.

“Of course, I can give you a discount for buying products and signing for the training,” Gallus said.

The master would have been better off buying a good household steward and then none of this nonsense would have happened. But then there would have been no sale, and no commission or _peculium_.

“Don’t hesitate to call or come back if you need any help or advice,” Gallus said, clasping the forearms of the master. “And once you’ve done our beginners course you might want to think about doing the intermediate course where you can learn all about using rope.”

The slaves, carrying the Phallusy branded bags, bowed. Hedylium actually smiled, a little tremulously, but she certainly seemed happier. The boy didn’t, but then why would he be grateful to anyone who encouraged his master to take more control? Still, they had both been quiet and obedient, and it wasn’t up to Gallus to deal with a discontented slave.

Then they were gone, and it was almost time to shut the shop. All the staff looked at the clock. Fifteen minutes. If it was up to him, Gallus would shut up the shop now, but Varius Metellus passed right by the shop entrance on the way to his front door and there would be hell to pay if the open sign was not out there till the very last moment.

“Let’s get cleaned up in here so we can get away as soon as possible,” Gallus said. “I’ll calculate your _peculium_ and send it off to the Fund right away.”

That got a grin from Sylvia and the boys got a move on. They would be looking forward to _cena,_ in the _domus_ of Varius Metellus right behind the shop. Gallus thought he might take Sylvia to a café on their way home. She really had worked hard today with many customers and earned every _as_ of her _peculium_.

When Gallus locked the door of the Phallosy shop not long after he pulled Sylvia to walk beside him. 

“In just a year you’ll be turning thirty,” he said, “and it looks like you will have enough _peculium_ to buy your freedom soon after, years earlier than I managed to. I still wish I could buy you out.” 

Gallus still hadn’t saved enough after buying his own freedom to pay for Sylvia’s as well, and to buy her to marry required him to pay her price upfront with no help from her own _peculium_. 

Sylvia kissed him. She knew the question Gallus never asked. “Yes, I’ll still marry you. I love you, you know that. I’ll prove it to you tonight, shall I?” 

“Yes,” Gallus whispered, and kissed her back. “Please.” 

They set off together, glad to get away from the shop and its prescribed roles. Tonight they would make love, and look forward to the time when they never had to use the leather and the toys of Phallusy again. 

**Author's Note:**

> Translations
> 
>  
> 
> _puella_ girl, slavegirl  
>  _pusio_ boy, lad, little boy. Related etymologically to puer, but often had a distinctly sexual or sexually demeaning connotation  
>  _verna_ born into slavery  
>  _Vigiles_ the firefighters and police  
>  _cena_ dinner  
>  _domus_ city house  
>  _as_ a copper coin, roughly 40 pence  
>  _peculium_ pocket-money; the small earnings generally considered to be a slave's own money (even though technically a slave wasn't allowed to own anything, being a possession himself). In 2770 auc, slaves can save their _pecūlium_ up in an Imperial Fund until they can buy themselves, purchasing their own freedom if allowed by their owner


End file.
